The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1887-10-12

~. S1&N WV
~ the wedding day. 10
@& you girls think a fel-
~ lows all hands, or do
You intend to tie these
O to my back and around
my shoulders? O, women are NUS
snce, anyhow!"
It was Just like good-natured John
Reed to erumble and scold, and do
twice as much as was asked, and as
nobody ever minded him more than to
say, "Now, Jack. you don't mean that,
he went on his way, full of qnirks and
oddities. and vet with a heart soft as a
gentle woman's.
He had three ronlping, laughing
schoolgirls under his charge, and so
completely had they loaded INN down
with luggage that be had grumbied and
fused ever since they had started,
much to the amusement OF the young
ladies who were used to his ways.
At the last moment gentleman
called Mr.. Iced as de and asked If ne
would be so kind as to take charge OF
his sister, who was en- route for the
city to take position as teacher in a
large school there. In response to the
introduction, "Miss Carlton, Mr.. iced, :"
she only bowed, and then turned f.r a
last good-by to her brother. Jack
looked about him in dismav, frightened
at the idea of an addition to his load,
but could see nothing but q gray shawl
snugly strapped, which she carried
easily. Her travelling costume was
neat and perfectly fitting, and there
was an air OF It'd ness and composure
about her that just pleased Johns tsste
exactly.
He was listening intently to what
Miss Carlton said, but when she ceased
turned to Effe's side with some iesting
remark about an entirely foreign sub
iect, and when the girls had chance
to teaze him about "this lady who had
no luggage for him to carry" he only
answered in his Solemnly ludicrous
stvle, @Time Will show, time viii show. J"
After time the day grew hot and
the way dusty, and, tired and worn
out the girls lost their livelness and
were content to lie back among the
cushions and sleepily let the time glide
away Poor Jack, left to himself,
sought Miss Carlton, expecting to see
another faded flower" as he emphat.
ically declared each of his charges to
be. On the contrary, she was wide
awake, fresh as when they left home,
no trace of WEAKNESS or fatigue on the
bright face that was lifted from the
book when he came to her. She was
one of those women that dust seems to
have no affinity for. a tidy: neat
body" as the old folks call them, @who
always look as if just out OF band
box" She quietly cleared away her
things from the adjoining seat and
they were soon chatting away as
though they had been friends for years,
instead of the chance acquaiptances OF
few hours. Her voice was sweet and
clear, and her language was refined
and cultivated, and her manners were
so free from all affectation, that John
ielt a composure and relief from en-
barrassment in her presence that he
rarely enjoyed when with other women.
The truth was he was in love; and the
girls, fully awake now th.G there was
something to interest them, we're not
10, 6 in understanding the case, and
now prepared to tease most heartily
y @dear old fellow" who was as
-aashful as schoolbov.
BIZ az our!-- the CITY was reached.
and after seeing his party sofo at the
academy John went home to his board
ing house, 50 distracted tha. he was
unconscious of the greetings + old
friends. Wnen alone there shone be
fore him those clear hazel eyes, into
whose depths he had looked that day
for the first time, but that would ever
he remembered. A fair face framed
in nut brown hair, with a smooth
brow, and family tinted cheeks, made
picture for his memory that
he sought to recall clearer and
more vividly hoHr iy hour. "A
woman who could take care OF
herself" h%d always been boasted
prodigy that he had challenged his
girl friends to find, and now that he
had known this quiet. demure teacher,
he was still dissatisfied. Seeing that
she was self-reiiant, he was anxious to
teach her to lean upon him, and know
ing her ability to take her place among
the worlds workers, he longed to shell
ter her in his own home and toll fol
her. that she might not labor. he
shrapk from the thought of her being
alone, and, with a great gush of love
and sympathy, remembering his own
solit Try life, yearned to enfold her with
tender affection that should know no
WEAKNESS.
But as the weeks heightened into
mouths, and the months rolled away,
the distance seemed to Iengthen be-
tween them, and the girls who watched
with intense interest the wooing, used
to laugh and tell him he did not know
how to court lady"
"Just ask her, John, If she'll have
you. That's the way. o.! you need
not pretend that you don't intend to
some day. Why, you might as we'll
pretend ignorance Of your own exist
ence. You'd give the world If she
would say yes, and yet you are not
brave enough to try"
Miss Carlton received his attentions
as she might those OF brother, quietly
and vet with no affected reserve. She
was always glad to meet him, but
her manner was always polite to I'll,
and her urbanitv uniform, and without
Sao,,,inp fo avoid him She neyer crave